IMWAYR

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join us! We love this meme and think you will, too.

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Congratulations to Lisa M. for winning the Goodbye Brings Hello Giveaway!!!

Last Week’s Posts

   

Tuesday: Student Voices: (Mostly) Fifteen Word Book Reviews by Five of Kellee’s 2017-18 Middle School Students

Wednesday: Review, Teaching Guide, and Giveaway!: Two Truths and a Lie: Histories and Mysteries by Ammi-Joan Paquette and Laurie Ann Thompson
GIVEAWAY ENDS ON 7/5! 
Don’t forget to enter!

Thursday: Atlas of Imaginary Places by Mia Cassany

Friday: Teaching Guide with Activities and Discussion Questions for Fox + Chick: The Party and Other Stories by Sergio Ruzzier

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “The Uh…. Game” by Mark Morrison, Author of TwoSpells

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

 

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

ALA Annual is an amazing experience! As educators, librarians, or just book lovers, if you ever have a chance to go I highly recommend getting the exhibitors pass then going to award ceremonies. Here are some of the authors & illustrators I met/saw and photos from the Newbery/Caldecott/Legacy Award Ceremony:

        

[Each set of four upper then bottom, left to right] Neal Shusterman, Jarrod Shusterman, Kate Dicamillo, Christian Robinson, Eliot Schrefer, Ally Condie & Brendan Reichs, KA Holt, J.C. Cervantes, Jay Coles, Daniel José Older, Renee Watson, Elana K. Arnold, Josh Funk, Shawn Harriss, Alice Faye Duncan, Gregory Christie, Celia C. Pérez, Fred Koehler, Yuyi Morales, Nathan Hale, Pablo Cartaya, Gabe Soria, Keir Graff, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Travis Jonker, Sarah McGuire, Mark Oshiro, Patricia Newman, Legacy Award Winner Jacqueline Woodson, Caldecott Medal Winner Matthew Cordell, and Newbery Medal Winner Erin Entrada Kelly

I also got to see some of my favorite people: Jason Lewis, Alyson Beecher, and Michele Knott (and others who I didn’t get photos with!)

 

Inspired by Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford, Michele and I walked to Congo Square in New Orleans. (Click on any of the images above to make them larger.)

 

Over the last two weeks, I finished reading:

• Two Truths and a Lie: Histories and Mysteries by Ammi-Joan Paquette and Laurie Thompson: Check out my review!
• Vet Volunteers book 2 & 3 were lots of fun because each book is from a different point of view, so the readers get to know each character. I’m waiting on book 4 to be available at my library.
• Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson is phenomenal. I don’t know why it took me so long to read it; what a great look at the twisted world of boy teenage years and trying to be a “normal” family.
• I LOVED LOVED LOVED Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro, and I was so happy to meet him at ALA and be able to gush at him all of the love I have for his book. It is one of those books that is hard to describe and a lot happens, but I never felt like it was bogged down; it just felt like truth.
• Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo is a companion to Raymie Nightingale, but it definitely stands on its own two feet. Although I really liked Raymie, I know some who did not, but I just cannot see anyone not liking Louisiana’s. Her voice and story is all the DiCamillo perfection you could want.
• Running on the Roof of the World by Jess Butterworth is a survival and adventure story about two teens escaping from Tibet to India after the military take over of their village. It is not getting enough love–pick it up and help me spread it!

Trent and I read:

• Little Lost Bat by Sandra Markle is a sad then sweet tale filled with interesting information about bats.
• Tales of Sasha: The Big Secret by Alexa Pearl is the first in the series about a horse that feels different than everyone else in her herd.
• I Say Ooh You Say Aah by John Kane is a HILARIOUS interactive picture book like Don’t Touch This Book or Press Here.

One thing I love about conferences is being able to visit publishers and read their picture books. Above are all the ones I finished, and I would have to say they are wonderful! However, there are definitely some favorites:

• Must buy: Dreamers by Yuyi Morales & Drawn Together by Minh Le
• Almost must buys; definitely must read: We Don’t Eat our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins, A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin, The Princess and the Pitstop by Tom Angleberger, World Make Way edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins, Rock ‘n’ Roll Soul by Sophia Verde, The 5 O’Clock Band by Trombone Shorty
• Must read: T. Rex Time Machine by Jared Chapman, The Dreamer by Il Sung Na, Hello Hello by Brendan Wenzel, Potato Pants! by Laurie Keller, The Very Last Castle by Travis Jonker, Pearl by Molly Idle
• Should read: I Hate My Cats (A Love Story) by Davide Cali, Maze Quest by Travis Nichols, Everything & Everywhere by Marc Martin, The Kiddie Table by Colleen Madden, Harrison P. Spader Personal Space Invader by Christianne C. Jones

 Ricki

I absolutely love The Wall in the Middle of the Book by Jon Agee.

My review: Sometimes, the invisible generates a fear that becomes greater than us. We focus so much on Othering that we neglect to recognize that the other side of that wall might offer something safe and good… something magnificent. Worse, we focus so intently on our fear of what might exist in the other side of the wall that we fail to see the very real danger we face. This book is extraordinarily well-written. It can be read as a fantastical story, or it can be imagined in beautifully metaphorical ways. Is the story about a knight and an ogre, or is it about the raging xenophobia that exists in our country? Readers can decide for themselves.

Sonia Sotomayor’s Turning Pages was fascinating. I learned a lot about her. She’s a remarkable woman, and I feel grateful to have this nonfiction picture book in my collection.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

I’m currently reading Orphaned by Eliot Schrefer and Unicorn Rescue Society #2: The Basque Dragon by Adam Gidwitz, and I’m loving them both! I have no idea what I am going to read next–we’ll see! As always, I have a huge summer reading pile that I have hardly touched, and I (as reading coach) start working part time on 7/16, so I do not have very much time left in my summer……….

Ricki

I am still reading the same three books as last week. I’ve been working on some writing, so I got behind on my reading. 🙂

Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro is my upstairs, bedtime book.

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani is my downstairs, kids-are-napping book.

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi is my audio book for cleaning, cooking, and driving. It’s 16+ hours long, and I’m a third of the way through. I need a longer commute!

Upcoming Week’s Posts

Tuesday:  Student Voices: Top Ten Book Lists by Four of Kellee’s 2017-18 Middle School Students

Wednesday:  Books That Feature Immigrants and Refugees: Understanding Experience through the Power of Story

Thursday: Alone Together by Sarah Donovan

Friday: A Possibility of Whales by Karen Rivers

 So, what are you reading?

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

  and

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join us! We love this meme and think you will, too.

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Last Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Student Voices: Reflections on Mrs. Moye’s Advanced Reading Class by Five of Kellee’s 2017-18 Middle School Students

Wednesday: Whose Boat? by Toni Buzzeo

Thursday: Penguin & Tiny Shrimp Don’t Do Bedtime by Cate Berry

Friday: Review and Giveaway!: Goodbye Brings Hello by Dianne White
Giveaway open until Friday!

Sunday:  Author Guest Post!: “Tweens to Teens–The Case of the Missing Category” by Elizabeth Foster, author of Esme’s Wish

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

Congratulations to our fellow blogger, Shaye, for winning What Do They Do with All That Poo?!

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

I am at ALA Annual in NOLA this weekend; I will catch up with you all next Monday 🙂

 Ricki

I am very jealous of Kellee.

I read Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead. This quirky little book engaged me from the very first page. It’s marketed to ages 8-12, but it’s one of those books that will appeal to readers of all ages. The story is quite charming, and it feels very magical.

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson is absolutely stunning. I’ll be reading this book on the first day of my classes. This book is going to make my favorite list for the year.

Julián is a Mermaid by Jessica Love. This book is getting a lot of press, and it’s beautifully conceptualized. I happened to have this book in my backpack when I was on campus, and I pulled it out to share with several colleagues. We need more picture books that push gender identity. It’s time.

I read several other picture books, but I want to stop here. These three books are simply wonderful, and posting about others feels like it takes away from their impact.

 

Request: Does anyone have any recommendations for YA texts that have strong themes of rural, white poverty? I’ve got The Smell of Other People’s Houses, The Serpent King, Ramona Blue, and Me and Marvin Gardens.

 

This Week’s Expeditions

Ricki

Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro is my upstairs, bedtime book.

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani is my downstairs, kids-are-napping book.

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi is my audio book for cleaning, cooking, and driving. It’s 16+ hours long, and I’m a third of the way through. I need a longer commute!

Upcoming Week’s Posts

   

Tuesday: Student Voices: (Mostly) Fifteen Word Book Reviews by Five of Kellee’s 2017-18 Middle School Students

Wednesday: Two Truths and a Lie: Histories and Mysteries by Ammi-Joan Paquette and Laurie Ann Thompson

Thursday: Atlas of Imaginary Places by Mia Cassany

Friday: Teaching Guide with Activities and Discussion Questions for Fox + Chick: The Party and Other Stories by Sergio Ruzzier

Sunday: Author Guest Post!: “The Uh…. Game” by Mark Morrison, Author of TwoSpells

 So, what are you reading?

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

  and

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join us! We love this meme and think you will, too.

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Last Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Things We Do Over the Summer (Educators DO Work During the Summer!)

Wednesday: Women Athletes Who Rule! from Sports Illustrated Kids

Thursday: Review and Giveaway!: What Do They Do With All That Poo? by Jane Kurtz
Giveaway open until Thursday! Don’t miss out on entering!

Friday: Kellee’s End of Year Student Survey Results, Students’ Favorite Books, and Top Checked Out Books 2017-18

Sunday: Author Guest Post with Teaching Tools!: “Lessons of Past Wars” by Barbara Diggs, Author of The Vietnam War

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

First, I must share the awesome news that I had a team place TENTH IN THE WORLD and an individual place SECOND IN THE WORLD in their respective competitions at the Future Problem Solvers International Competition!!!! I am so proud of them!

• I was not a fan of A Wrinkle in Time when I read it in 6th grade, and I was hoping that I’d feel different after the graphic nove, but, I’m sorry! I just didn’t love it. The story just doesn’t do it for me. I loved the graphics though!
• I finished Harbor Me while at the FPS competition surrounded by kids from 41 different countries/states who all want to make a difference in this world. Both left me feeling hopeful. And Jacqueline Woodson is as amazing as ever.
• Wonderland by Barbara O’Connor was shared with me by Augusta Scattergood because she had a feeling I would like it, and boy, does she know me! I loved spunky Mavis who wants acceptance but also won’t bend to be liked, and Rose needs someone to help her see how awesome she is. And then there is Henry–a much needed dog. It is a wonderful story!

• Continuing my dog books this week, I read the first in the Vet Volunteer series by Laurie Halse Anderson, and I am so surprised that I don’t hear about these more. They have diverse characters and ANIMALS! And written by Laurie Halse Anderson! What’s not to like?!
• This last year, both 7th and 8th grade teachers wanted to teach The Outsiders at the end of the year, and I just could not remember the story well enough after reading it 25 years ago to understand why they all felt this was the best novel for all students to read, so I wanted to pick it up. Now, I will say that after reading it I do wish some of the racist and sexist comments didn’t exist; however, they could lead to conversations of changes of language over time. Other than that, Man! I get it! Wow. What an awesome book! I do think there are some contemporary YAL that would fit the same themes and storyline, but I also understand why this book is loved.
• Front Desk by Kelly Yang was on my Twitter feed constantly over the last couple of weeks, so I requested it from my library and was so excited when I got it to read. WOW! Perfection, everyone. Read this story about resilience and kindness and seeing light in all the darkness and family as soon as you can!

 

• I guess we have officially added early chapter books into our rotation! He’s been picking them more and more, and Mercy Watson is definitely a favorite, so we read another one of her stories this week.
• We also read Masterpiece Robot by Frank Tra, and I am SO EXCITED to review it for you! I think everyone will really love this book!

 Ricki

I read Aisha Saeed’s Amal Unbound in one sitting. It’s very, very good. I was drawn into the story and simply couldn’t put it down! This book will provide a lot of opportunities for rich classroom conversations. I recommend it highly.

I love A.S. King. She writes such thoughtful stories. I really appreciated the ways in which she delved deeply into economics and environmental issues. I’ve decided to adopt this one for my YA course next semester. It provides a different angle that I am excited to explore. Like most of A.S. King’s books, this book felt unlike any other book that I’d read. The twisting of the economics and environmental themes was really compelling.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

• Ack! I almost wish we were still in school and not on summer vacation because I have 3.5 hours left of Anger is a Gift, and I just don’t have a lot of time that I listen to audio right now, but I want to finish it! I will be driving alone later this week though, so I hope to finish!
• Two Truths and a Lie by Ammi-Joan Paquette and Laurie Ann Thompson was a favorite of mine when it comes out, so I am excited to read the second one that focuses on history.
• Currently Trent and I are reading Tales of Sasha Book #1: The Big Secret by Alexa Pearl. He chose it out of the pile of books I gave him, and so far we’re loving the spunky Sasha.
• I loved the first Vet Volunteers, so I plan on reading a few more for fun.
• At the push of Ricki and with it being on my #mustreadin2018 list, I plan on getting to Me and Marvin Gardens this week as well.

Ricki

My blog partner took a look at my course syllabus and recommended that I switch one of my books out for this one. I will be reading Anger is a Gift immediately. 🙂 When Kellee demands that I read something, I read it.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Student Voices: Reflections on Mrs. Moye’s Advanced Reading Class by Five of Kellee’s 2017-18 Middle School Students

Wednesday: Whose Boat? by Toni Buzzeo

Thursday: Penguin & Tiny Shrimp Don’t Do Bedtime by Cate Berry

Friday: Review and Giveaway!: Goodbye Brings Hello by Dianne White

Sunday:  Author Guest Post!: “Tweens to Teens–The Case of the Missing Category” by Elizabeth Foster, author of Esme’s Wish

 So, what are you reading?

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

  and

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join us! We love this meme and think you will, too.

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Last Week’s Posts

Tuesday: BOOK TRAILER PREMIERE!: Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast: Mission Defrostable by Josh Funk

Wednesday: Startalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson: Young Readers Edition

Thursday:  Nocturnals: The Slithery Shakedown by Tracey Hecht

Friday: Teaching Rescued by Eliot Schrefer in a Middle School Reading Classroom

Sunday:  Author Guest Post with Teaching Tools!: “How can we tell we’re living in a global village?” by Carla Mooney, Author of Globalization: Why We Care About Faraway Events

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

I am writing this post on Wednesday the 6th before I leave for the Future Problem Solvers International Competition.
If I am going to be completely honest, I do not have much to share with you that I have read since Monday. I think the beginning of summer is one of my hardest reading times because my brain just wants a break. Hopefully it’ll get back to normal soon 🙂

I did get a chance to read two upcoming picture books (both September) that are VERY different but are both must get books, and Trent and I also listened to some new books in the car:

 Ricki

I LOVED Josh Funk’s Mission Defrostable. This is one of my favorite children’s book series. Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast are very funny, and the books provide a lot of great classroom opportunities.

Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson is well worth the hype. I really enjoyed it. I’m adding it to my book list for the fall. It’s that good. I did a lot of Kindle highlighting. There is much to talk about with this one.

Amal Unbound was also incredible. I had a lot of good luck with books this week. I read this book last night and stayed up until three in the morning because I was desperate to find out what happened next. This book is set in Pakistan, but it discusses human rights issues that are a reality across the world.

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

We’ll see how much reading I can get done at FPS! I’m still listening to Anger is a Gift, so I hope to get some time on the plane and shuttle!

Ricki

I am trying to finalize books for my Fall syllabus. I have a few tough choices to make, and I want to read this book to consider whether it will fit within one of my weekly themes.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

 

Tuesday: Things We Do Over the Summer (Teachers DO Work During the Summer!)

Wednesday: Women Athletes Who Rule! from Sports Illustrated Kids

Thursday: What Do They Do With All That Poo? by Jane Kurtz

Friday: Kellee’s End of Year Student Survey Results, Students’ Favorite Books, and Top Checked Out Books 2017-18

Sunday: Author Guest Post with Teaching Tools!: “Lessons of Past Wars” by Barbara Diggs, Author of The Vietnam War

 So, what are you reading?

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

  and

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join us! We love this meme and think you will, too.

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Last Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Teaching Tuesday: Kellee’s Lunch Book Club

Wednesday: My Magic Breath: Finding Calm Through Mindful Breathing by Nick Ortner and Allison Taylor

Thursday: Pink is for Boys by Robb Pearlman

Friday: Where’s Halmoni? by Julie Kim

Sunday: Author Guest Post with Teaching Tools!: “Talking to Kids about World War II” by Diane C. Taylor, Author of World War II: From the Rise of the Nazi Party to the Dropping of the Atomic Bomb

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

I wanted to just take a bit to apologize in advanced for the upcoming weeks (through mid-July) where I may or may not be able to post or visit your posts. I’m about to go to the International Competition with my Future Problem Solvers club again followed by some family time, teachers’ guide creation time, ALA Annual, and a conference for Jim. I do hope to keep posting and stopping by your blogs, but I wanted to apologize now just in case 🙂 Now, without further adieu, my last couple of weeks of reading:

  

• The President Has Been Shot by James L. Swanson is the last middle grade/young adult nonfiction book by him (I think?), and just like the others I was fascinated by it! It is sad how little I learned about history while in school; thank goodness for authors and books like this!
• A Possibility of Whales by Karen Rivers is a coming of age story mixed with a look at gender identity, family, friendship, and whales–I look forward to reviewing it soon!
• Illegal by Eoin Colfer is so powerful! It tells the story of Ebo who is a refugee hoping to make his way to Europe and freedom. Told in a then/now format, the story builds in suspense and worry as we learn more about the perilous journey he is on and where he came from.
• HiLo is one of my, and my students, favorite graphic novel series! I didn’t know that book 4 had come out, so when I saw it at the book store, I bought it immediately! And it did not disappoint. If you loved the first ones, this one is a must get.

 

• Sandra Markle continues to write nonfiction that is so important and well done. This one looks at trying to rescued the Southern White Rhino species in Africa while they are being threatened by poachers. It goes into the history behind their poaching, the different species of rhinos, the law surrounding rhinos, and what we can do to help.
• Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers is a picture book that I can’t believe I haven’t read yet. It is a perfect picture book for younger readers to learn about the Statue of Liberty and older students to delve deeper into.
• Meet Yasmin by Saadia Faruqi is a must get for any early elementary teacher! Yasmin has a huge imagination, is a great problem solver, has so much ambition, is creative, and is just someone you’d want your kid to hang out with (or at least be in the same class with!). Yasmin also will fill the role of a window or a mirror! She is Pakistani-American and has a multi-generational family who she lives with. Students will either finally see someone like themselves in an early reader or be exposed to a culture that may be new.
• I was so excited to find Gabi’s If/Then Garden by Caroline Karanja because not only is it a perfect companion to Josh Funk’s How to Code a Sandcastle, it is also another book that is going to inspire young kids, girls especially, into looking at how to code thus expanding interest in STEAM.

    

• I cannot believe that I didn’t know that Square had come out! Triangle is a BIG favorite of ours, so as soon as I found out (2 weeks ago during IMWAYR), I got us a copy of Square. Through a very different story than Triangle, Barnett and Klassen expand the shape universe and introduce us to Circle who is a very special character indeed!
• The rest of these titles are rereads that Trent and I read and listened to in the car using read-along e-books!

 Ricki

You Choose by Nick Sharratt and Pippa Goodhart is our family’s favorite book. We read it every night together (all four of us), and we each pick our homes, jobs, foods, etc. It brings so many good laughs. I LOVE this book.

Nocturnals: The Slithery Shakedown by Tracey Hecht is great. My son really enjoyed learning about the nocturnal animals in this fun tale. In fact, he’s currently rereading it in his bed (when he is supposed to be sleeping).

My son has recently gotten very into Mo Willems’ Elephant and Piggie series. Above are five of the eight or so books that we read this week. These ones stand out to me. 🙂 My favorite so far is Can I Play, Too? because it is so funny!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

  

• I know, I know! I can’t believe I haven’t finished it either, but I just have had most of my reading time not at home, so the books I have on my phone have been getting more reading. I will finish Harbor Me this week though!
• Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro is a multi-tiered special novel that I’m surprised isn’t getting more hype! I am glad someone (who were you?!?!) recommended it to me!
• I’m very excited for What Can a Citizen Do? by Dave Eggers and illustrated by the same illustrator as Her Right Foot, Shawn Harris, and Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo, the companion to Raymie Nightingale!
• I also have a pile of books I brought home from school, a pile of books next to my couch, a pile of books by my computer, and a ton of books on my phone that I want to read 🙂

Ricki

I am listening to (AND LOVING) Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone. This book is definitely worth the hype.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

Tuesday: BOOK TRAILER PREMIERE!: Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast: Mission Defrostable by Josh Funk

Wednesday: Startalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson: Young Readers Edition

Thursday:  Nocturnals: The Slithery Shakedown by Tracey Hecht

Friday: Teaching Rescued by Eliot Schrefer in a Middle School Reading Classroom

Sunday:  Author Guest Post with Teaching Tools!: “How can we tell we’re living in a global village?” by Carla Mooney, Author of Globalization: Why We Care About Faraway Events

 So, what are you reading?

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

  and

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join us! We love this meme and think you will, too.

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Last Week’s Posts

    

Tuesday: Things I Wish I’d Known as a Beginning Teacher

Wednesday: Be a King by Carole Boston Weatherford

Thursday: Blog Tour with Review!: This Moment is Your Life (and so is this one) by Mariam Gates

Friday: Lemur Dreamer by Courtney Dicmas

Sunday: Author Guest Post with Teaching Tools! by Matthew Brenden Wood, Author of The Space Race: How the Cold War Put Humans on the Moon

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

 Last Week’s Journeys

Happy Memorial Day, friends! Both of us are spending our long weekend with our families and didn’t have a chance to write a book update. We hope you had a nice long weekend as well, and we’ll see you next week! 🙂

Upcoming Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Teaching Tuesday: Kellee’s Lunch Book Club

Wednesday: My Magic Breath: Finding Calm Through Mindful Breathing by Nick Ortner and Allison Taylor

Thursday: Pink is for Boys by Robb Pearlman

Friday: Where’s Halmoni? by Julie Kim

Sunday: Author Guest Post with Teaching Tools!: “Talking to Kids about World War II” by Diane C. Taylor, Author of World War II: From the Rise of the Nazi Party to the Dropping of the Atomic Bomb

 So, what are you reading?

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join us! We love this meme and think you will, too.

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Last Week’s Posts

  

Tuesday: A Secret About Close Reading

Wednesday: I Am Gandhi by Brad Meltzer

Thursday: Guest Review: A Land of Permanent Goodbyes by Atia Abawi

Friday: How to Code a Sandcastle by Josh Funk

Sunday: Author Q&A with Lynn Brunelle, Author of Turn This Book Into a Beehive!

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

 Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

These last couple of weeks have been so busy (why is the end of the school year always so busy?!?!), but I was very happy to still be able to get some reading in:

• My in-class book clubs wrapped up this week, so I finished Somewhere in the Darkness by Walter Dean Myers with my students. The ending definitely caused a great discussion!
• Chasing King’s Killer by James L. Swanson was just as good as Chasing Lincoln’s Killer! I have been learning so much about history from these books. Such sad history, but definitely history we all need to know.
• On Friday, we had a virtual author visit with Mitali Perkins, so I read Rickshaw Girl and Tiger Boy by her (as well as her short story in Open Mic, Funny Girl, and her essay from Teaching Tolerance). I am so glad that Mitali agreed to talk with us because I hadn’t read any of her books, and now I want to read them all!
• Sandra Markle’s nonfiction books are always so interesting because they show aspects of animals that so many of us don’t think about. This newest one looks at weird migration of snowy owls as far south as Florida!

With Trent in the car, we read/listened to:

• Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride by Kate DiCamillo which was our first journey into a book with less illustrations, and I was so proud of how much of the story Trent still comprehended!
• A Big Quiet House by Heather Forest is a Yiddish folktale that looks at perspective of happiness–great conversation starter!

 Ricki

I love Pablo Cartaya. I was lucky to work with him on a piece for The ALAN Review, and I have so much respect for his professionalism and his incredibly wise insight. I have an inkling that he is going to become one of the most popular middle grade authors. Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish is wonderful. It features a very tall, large eighth grader who is both a threat and a target. After he gets suspended, he, his mom, and his brother decide to go to Puerto Rico to try to regroup themselves. Marcus is determined to find and speak with his father who he hasn’t seen in ten years. There are so many wonderful themes in this book, but I loved the ways in which it explores family. (Also, I love how Pablo Cartaya always infuses themes of economics in his books).

I was lucky to receive a copy of Sarah J. Donovan’s Alone Together. Sarah’s writing shows that she has a firm grasp on adolescence. The book is a beautiful book in verse. I found myself thinking about the characters long after I had closed the text. Sadie lives in a Catholic household, and quite frankly, her life is a mess. She is the only one of the eleven people in her family to sit at the breakfast table, and one of the few siblings who hasn’t left. She is the peacemaker and is sick of the empty fridge and bad choices that others seem to make for her. I think that Sadie has a life that many young people will relate to. She is left wondering about the ways in which people exist alone together. This is a great read, and I will be using it (in part and in whole) in my classes.

I loved Hedgehog Needs a Hug by Jen Betton. I was surprised to see that it didn’t have a higher rating on GoodReads. It’s about a hedgehog who wakes up and feels down. He really, really needs a hug, and the other animals are clearly avoiding him because he is prickly. The book doesn’t say this, so it was fun to ask my son why he thought they were avoiding him. Then he meets skunk, and skunk needs a hug (but of course, skunk is stinky). This is a great book to teach kids about some of the ways in which they might unintentionally be hurting people.

Atlas of Imaginary Places by Mia Cassany may be one of the most beautiful books that I have ever seen. The artistry is stunning. My son’s favorite page is the one that features a city on top of a whale. The myth is that the sleeping whale will wake up as soon as everyone is asleep–but the city never sleeps. I’ve read this book several times, and I just can’t get enough of it. It is truly a stunning text. I’d love to use this in an art class. It’s quite inspiring. I intend to do a full review of this one on June 7 because I need to highlight it even more!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

• A Possibility of Whales is Karen Rivers newest, and I have students who adored The Girl in the Well is Me, so I look forward to reading and sharing this one.
• How could I not start Harbor Me as soon as I received it?!
• The last Swanson audiobook on Hoopla is “The President Has Been Shot!,” and I started it earlier this week.

Additionally, I found some fun graphic novels and picture books on Netgalley I hope to get to!

Next weekend is Memorial Day weekend here in the U.S., so I will be taking next Monday off, so I hope you all have a wonderful two weeks, and I’ll see you on June 4th after my last day of school!

Ricki

I went a little bit nuts this week. I am desperately trying to make decisions for my syllabus next semester, so I started about 15 books and read the first 50 pages. All are recently published YAL. I won’t share them all now, but I am hoping to finish them in the upcoming weeks.

I started listening to Children of Blood and Bone yesterday, and it is really, really, really good. As in–I am going to lose sleep over this one. 🙂

Upcoming Week’s Posts

    

Tuesday: Things I Wish I’d Known as a Beginning Teacher

Wednesday: Be a King by Carole Boston Weatherford

Thursday: Blog Tour with Review!: This Moment is Your Life (and so is this one) by Mariam Gates

Friday: Lemur Dreamer by Courtney Dicmas

Sunday: Author Guest Post with Teaching Tools! by Matthew Brenden Wood, Author of The Space Race: How the Cold War Put Humans on the Moon

 So, what are you reading?

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

  and